Laser Cut Intaglio Printing

[David Fairfield]

Thought this was a pretty neat concept, worth sharing.

http://www.nycresistor.com/2012/01/21/laser-cut-letterpress/

[Scott Shepherd]

What's really cool is his site shows how he came up with his own version of a driver, then he links to another site where someone wrote a linux driver for the epilog!

Free Inkscape and free linux and you're ready to cut on the laser! Pretty cool stuff.

[Greg Bednar]

Sometimes, IMHO, humans take technology one giant leap backwards. Although "cool" - a laser printer would work better, faster, less messy, cheaper, etc., for the type of end product in the link. I like NYC Resistor, but for this particular bit, not so much. I'm reminded of Parkinson's Law - "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."

[David Fairfield]

I see your point Greg, but, a giant leap backwards is something that art occasionally needs, to avoid the cold, computery perfection of computer illustration software and laser printers. The subtle irregularites and texture of intaglio printing are part of its charm, and that can't be matched by a laser printer.

Dave

[Greg Bednar]

I see your point Greg, but, a giant leap backwards is something that art occasionally needs, to avoid the cold, computery perfection of computer illustration software and laser printers. The subtle irregularites and texture of intaglio printing are part of its charm, and that can't be matched by a laser printer.

Dave

Point well taken.

[Dee Gallo]

As a former Printmaking major, I can see the merits of using the laser to cut the design, especially lettering, into asphaltum ground and then using the traditional acid bath... thus preserving the intaglio "look", enabling the artist to use both aquatint and intaglio together easily on one plate. The use of acrylic for a plate just rubs me the wrong way, seems like it would warp in the press or traditional inks/cleaners will eat the plastic up.

That being said, the art and skill of hand drawn art on plates is something that cannot be duplicated by a computer. Calligraphy also needs a human touch. But these days, nobody really looks at these things, which is sad. Irregularities are seen as defects in the new order of cold computer perfection.

cheers, dee

edit: I also think Greg is right, this project would turn out better using a printer. But the look could be achieved by hand drawing the work and scanning it, then NOT fixing it with trace or whatever.

[Dan Hintz]

this project would turn out better using a printer. But the look could be achieved by hand drawing the work and scanning it, then NOT fixing it with trace or whatever.
Or one could do it with the computer and then have the computer add randomized splotches and such to the lines to make it appear as if it was done by hand. That would be faster. :)

[Chuck Stone]

Or one could do it with the computer and then have the computer add randomized splotches and such to the lines to make it appear as if it was done by hand. That would be faster. :)

similar to the 'technique' you can apply in some video editors that will add
dots, scratches, hairs, bump the vertical hold, over/underexpose etc...